The past

Think back to Windows ‘At Work’ and Windows CE. Perhaps they are finally dead. Microsoft learns. Sometimes it takes a very long time but it learns. And it acts. The company never talks negatively about existing products, but never let that lull you into the false sense of security that underestimates the power to compete that they have.

We have seen this before with a litany of products. And now it is the turn of Windows Mobile which preposterously grew into two different operating systems one for one handed use and the other for PDA class devices. Guess what - this was the worlds biggest kludge. But it continues. 'Windows Phone 7 Series' leaves room for 'Windows PDA 7 Series' and 'Windows Tablet 7 Series' rotten nomenclature for sure. But at least we now have something new - Windows Phone 7 Series. Mobile wouldn’t be complete without the word ‘series’ in it now would it Nokia?

The future

Windows Mobile has been rethought into a new mobile experience that brings your people, photos, music, and video together. Microsoft make a virtue of the idea that bringing together web content, applications and services into a single view is a good idea, without any sense of irony or indication that this might have been a good idea ten years ago.

Windows Phone 7 Series Start Screen

The home screen, or Start, on Windows Phone 7 Series can be customised with “live tiles” that show the latest updates from the Web. They promise real time updates of the stuff that is important to you right on this Start Screen. And in a not towards the importance of phones at the centre of social media, allow you to post your status once and update all. The post form looked a bit clunky too. But the Live friend updates from social media sites like Facebook and Windows Live looked interesting. No mention of micro blogging sites like Twitter.

There is a slick intro demo on the web here: -

In a nod to the past the features promise your most recent contacts at your fingertips. (Information at your fingertips was once Microsoft’s strapline). It certainly looked iPhone quick to find the people you are looking for, and et integration of people at the centre of the system in what Microsoft call the ‘People Hub’ is welcome. This means calls, messages and status updates are all equals - actions you do to people of groups. People at the centre means recent, all, and what’s new are about people. This people centred focus, if it permeates the entire device, is a step ahead of the iPhone in ease of use.

The photo gallery and album is nice enough. All in one place. Everything in its place and easy to instantly share with your favourite people and social networks. (Notice the technology blur - no mention of MMS or any such nasty term).

In music terms Windows Phone amalgamates radio, web and personal (Zune) music. I guess that means that Zune will finally come to Europe after languishing only in North America for years.

WiFi sync is back - after working then not working in previous releases of Windows Mobile.

Xbox LIVE goes mobile too. Why play with yourself when you can play with your friends? Remains to be seen how far this integration goes.

Search is Bing obviously. One button to get information, maps and directions from the web.

A phone designed to keep your life in motion say Microsoft - so many visual cues from others here and this I guess a reference to Research In Motion makers of the Blackberry.

Watch the more detailed but still slick demo here:-

Demo points

1. Start Screen, Live, active, vibrant
2. Music, Zune, Video, Podcast, Radio
3. Visual history mixed radio station and music and video
4. New items, again visual
5. Visual recent list
6. All list with compact view
7. What’s new view
8. Visual cue when you select a person from the list, opens the profile, and allows interaction by calling, texting
9. What’s new again, tiled UI with disclosure of text message
10. Quick float through Xbox LIVE status, but no details